First Reading - Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19
Second Reading - 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
Gospel - Luke 18:9-14
In the first reading from Ecclesiasticus, we are reminded that God is a just and impartial judge. He does not favor the rich over the poor, nor the powerful over the humble. Instead, He listens attentively to the cry of the oppressed and the prayer of the lowly. The passage emphasizes that God’s justice is rooted in compassion — He hears those who approach Him sincerely, without pretense or pride. In a world that often rewards arrogance, God honors the humble heart.
The second reading presents Paul as a living example of such humility. At the end of his life, he looks back not with pride in his accomplishments, but with gratitude for the grace that sustained him. “I have fought the good fight,” he says, “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul knows his strength came not from himself but from God, who “stood by me and gave me power.” His confidence is not self-centered but God-centered — a trust born of faith and surrender.
The Gospel brings this truth to life in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, boasts of his good deeds, comparing himself to others. His prayer is full of himself and empty of God. The tax collector, on the other hand, stands at a distance, unable even to raise his eyes, and simply says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus concludes that it was the tax collector — not the Pharisee — who went home justified. Why? Because he recognized his need for God’s mercy.
Dear friends, God does not seek perfection; He seeks contrition — a heart open to grace. Pride builds walls, but humility opens doors. When we admit our weakness, God fills us with His strength; when we acknowledge our sin, He covers us with His mercy.
Humility is not about thinking less of ourselves, but about seeing ourselves truthfully — as loved sinners, dependent on God’s grace. It is expressed in daily life when we stop comparing ourselves to others, when we choose compassion over judgment, when we serve quietly without seeking recognition, and when we forgive instead of holding grudges.
God does not hear the prayer of the proud, but He treasures the whisper of the humble. Let us, then, approach Him as the tax collector did — not with a list of our merits, but with a heart that says, “Lord, I need You.” In that place of honesty and surrender, we find true peace, and we allow God to do His greatest work — transforming our hearts into reflections of His mercy.
May we leave this place today not boasting of our goodness, but rejoicing in God’s goodness — for it is the humble heart that God lifts up, and the contrite soul that He fills with His grace.
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